once
on one occasion
How often you will meet it
Rank 148 of 71,295 words measured. It occurs 162,597 times across 155,370 chapters — 0.077% of every word in the library.
It belongs to the first 500 words, the band worth learning before any other.
What it means
adverb
- on one occasion also: one time, in one case once I ran into her
- as soon as once we are home, we can rest
- at a previous time also: formerly, at one time, erstwhile, erst at one time he loved herher erstwhile writing
once in real books
Each sentence below was written by a published author and is taken from a different book in our library. Open one to read the passage it came from, with narration.
-
All art is at once surface and symbol.
The Picture of Dorian Gray · Oscar Wilde · Chapter 1
-
Soon I found myself eating and drinking, and the blood once more was mashing through my veins.
The Betrayal · E. Phillips (Edward Phillips) Oppenheim · Chapter 1
-
These broken sentences were repeated more than once, and then she stood silent as though in a dream still.
Christian's Mistake · Dinah Maria Mulock Craik · Chapter 1
-
Who knows the town of Bethlehem, once gleamed beneath the star, Whose wondrous light the shepherds saw watching their flocks afar?
The White Christmas and other Merry · Walter Ben Hare · Chapter 1
-
At once the boy went to work on his neglected corn-bread and fish, but the girl left hers untouched where they lay.
The Heart of the Hills · John, Jr. Fox · Chapter 1